


Translation Issues

by Sissysparkles27



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Dorks in Love, Fluff, M/M, no specific timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 00:18:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8423368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sissysparkles27/pseuds/Sissysparkles27
Summary: Base on a prompt that I read on tumblr. 
 He took a deep breath, and breathed those three words that changed people’s lives.                        “I love you.”Nico’s lips curled up slightly into a sleepy smile that Percy felt on his cheek. He exhaled slowly and Percy moved back quickly, that being too much sensation after his confession. Then Nico opened his mouth and Percy leaned in again, this time in anticipation.        	Oh gods. Is he gonna say it back? What if he does?! Can I kiss him or would that be too soon!? Has he even been kissed yet? What if I take his lip’ virginity and he hates me? Wait, do lips have a virginity?!Finally what came out of the son of Hades’ mouth wasn’t even english. In his sleep, he didn’t realize what just happened and so he answered instinctively.               “Ti amo anchio,” then he started to snore happily.   What….Italian?! Now?!





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fanfic that I published. My friend told me it was cute but idk. Enjoy the pointless but very necessary fluff.

Once upon a time, Nico lived in Italy and so the fact that he spoke it fluently shouldn’t have been a surprise to Percy. And yet every time he heard the foreign language out of his younger friend’s mouth, he found himself amazed. The way the words sounded so musical and how Nico’s mouth formed them so easily was something that Percy found himself admiring every time. That isn’t to say that Nico spoke in Italian often. He actually very rarely spoke it except for the times he forgot himself or was very tired, his brain would automatically switch to his mother tongue without him realising. Percy is only aware of this because of the amount of times he forced himself into the younger demigod’s cabin late in the evening when he knew Nico was there to play video games or watch a movie. Based on the fact that Nico hadn’t seemed to try too hard to get rid of him, Percy would say his company wasn’t as bad as Nico liked to claim.  
Percy on the other hand loved the nights when he and Nico could hang out. Annabeth was his best friend but she wasn’t a guy, and asking her if she wanted to hang out and watch movies or something felt a bit awkward somehow. Surprisingly, Nico turned out to have a very dry sense of humour that Percy found hilarious. He could get really passionate and competitive too when they were playing a game and Percy found it adorable how fired up he could get. His sallow cheeks would flush, his dark eyes would gain a sparkle and he’d curse at whoever or whatever he thought was preventing him from winning. In Italian no less.Which was unfairly cute.   
Percy lived for these moments. It was after thoughts like this started appearing more and more often in his mind that he finally got a clue and realised that the weird, swooping feeling he felt in his stomach whenever he managed to coax a smile out of the younger, might mean that he actually had a crush on him. So being the impulsive demigod he was, the minute he realised he decided to invite Nico over and tell him. It had seemed like a good idea at the time.   
Now an hour after Nico had arrived, feigning being deeply reluctant the whole time, he still hadn’t managed to blurt it out. He cursed the movies for making it look so easy. At least when he had confessed to Annabeth years ago, he suspected that she liked him back. He wasn’t that oblivious thank you very much. Sometimes. He couldn’t just go out and say it since Nico was younger as well as a dude.  
Maybe he could just say, ‘Hey man, you ever wonder what it would feel like to kiss another dude? Specifically me?’ Ugh that sounded terrible. Don’t do that.   
He might have possibly gotten sidetracked with his thoughts again, since when he tuned into the game again, he was losing spectacularly. He winced and mourned his chance of impressing the cute ball of darkness that was the ghost prince.  
He groaned aloud which caught Nico’s attention who looked over and upon locking eyes with Percy, he flushed deeply and whipped his head away in embarrassment. Percy was left wondering if it was too hot in his mom’s apartment again.  
He kept gazing at Nico as he asked “Another round?”. The smaller boy agreed and Percy determinedly focused all his attention on the screen.  
It wasn’t until hours later when the only light was coming from the T.V and even Percy’s eyes were starting to sting from straining them in bad light, that he turned to Nico to suggest they turn in. He waited to adjust to the dark before speaking. He liked to stare into Nico’s beautiful dark eyes when he was talking to him. Only Nico seemed to be half-asleep already and by Hades did he look adorable. He was slumped on the couch and moving his hands over the controller very sluggishly. His hair was halfway splayed behind him and his eyes were half lidded with drowsiness. Even his mouth was parted in his sleepy state as he struggled to remain awake.  
Percy was overcome with the urge to just reach out and…cuddle maybe? Slowly, so slowly that he might as well have been hypnotised his hand reached for the other’s. It was smaller than his own and he traced a few of the veins on top of his hand in a daze. At that moment, in the dark, he couldn’t remember why he was even hesitating. Here Nico was, warm and small, and most importantly with him.  
He picked up the smaller and paler hand with its too thin fingers and leaned in, completely forgetting about any consequences his actions might have. When he felt the warm breath on his cheek he stopped and moved a strand of curly hair behind Nico’s ear. His mouth was right at his ear now and Nico shivered. He hadn’t even registered the game had paused. His eyes had closed on their own accord already.  
He took a deep breath, and breathed those three words that changed people’s lives.  
“I love you.”  
Nico’s lips curled up slightly into a sleepy smile that Percy felt on his cheek. He exhaled slowly and Percy moved back quickly, that being too much sensation after his confession. Then Nico opened his mouth and Percy leaned in again, this time in anticipation.  
Oh gods. Is he gonna say it back? What if he does?! Can I kiss him or would that be too soon!? Has he even been kissed yet? What if I take his lip’ virginity and he hates me? Wait, do lips have a virginity?!  
Finally what came out of the son of Hades’ mouth wasn’t even english. In his sleep, he didn’t realize what just happened and so he answered instinctively.  
“Ti amo anchio,” then he started to snore happily.  
What….Italian?! Now?! 

 

Percy drew back as if burnt. His mind was reeling and he resisted the urge to shake Nico and wake him up so he could ask what in the name of his father that could mean. Suddenly he wasn’t that tired anymore. He needed to know if that was an answer to his feelings or if Nico was still talking to the video game they had been playing. He struggled to get up as fast as possible but without waking him up. A feat that was made harder by the fact that Percy was about as coordinated as walrus without a fin. Or a pegasus with one wing. Or an intoxicated Leo. Now that was a funny memory. He was lost in reflection for a few seconds before he shook his head quickly. Focus Percy. This is no time to spaz out.  
Once he had finally stumbled into his room, he quickly searched in the dark for his laptop. Turning it on with numerous impatient clicks on the on button, he nearly squirmed in his seat with anticipation. But he was cool. So he totally didn’t squirm. The screen lit up. A large smile spread across his tan face. His fingers hovered above the keyboard. And….he drew a blank. What did Nico say again?   
FUCK, he groaned in his mind as his head hit the keyboard.

When Nico woke up a few hours later, it was to the feeling of his neck cramping up and a gross taste in his mouth. He was still in the same reclined position he had fallen asleep in. As he rubbed the morning grit out of his eyes, he noticed a distinct lack of warm body beside him. Where was Percy? He looked around as he stood up, a blanket slipping off his legs. He flushed and a warm feeling bloomed in his chest at the thought of the older demigod caring about him enough to keep him warm. He growled at his thoughts and stomped around the small apartment on a quest to find his friend.   
The door to his room was open and using his amazing deductive skills, Nico concluded that he must be there. He was a bit hesitant to intrude but he knew Percy wouldn’t mind. Cautiously he looked into the incredibly blue room with its blue walls and blue bed spread that covered the slumbering teen who was still fully clothed and looked haggard despite seeming to be sleeping peacefully enough. His hair was even more of a rat’s nest than usual. He wondered if he should wake him before deciding against it. He decided instead to start on making breakfast. It was his turn after all.

Percy woke up and immediately wished he hadn’t. His eyes were gritty and his brain felt like it hated him more than usual. He didn't feel this much self-pity since he found out he was the child of the prophecy which had been a pretty big deal. With a groan of despair he pulled his lanky body up and out of bed. Which is when he realised he was still wearing his clothes from last night. He wrinkled his nose and was obscenely happy that his father was Poseidon and he could magic the sweat away.   
Once all the hygiene was sorted out he shuffled out of his room. He hadn’t bothered to change his clothes though. He entered the sitting room first but Nico wasn’t there which made him pout since he liked to stare at him when he knew the younger wouldn’t kick his ass for it out of sheer embarrassment.   
But he did smell something amazing and with that came the anticipation of another amazing plate of pancakes cooked up by his resident Italian. Just as he expected, Nico was puttering around his kitchen like he owned the place, putting the finishing touches on the table which already had the two plates and all the extremely necessary pancake toppings. And when Nico heard him come in and turned to him with a small smile and a good morning, Percy wished he could wake up like this everyday.  
The pancakes (blue of course) were delicious as was expected but then came the dreaded time when Nico usually leaves. Before that could happen, Percy needed to know what he said. It had been driving him crazy even as he tried to ignore it.   
People had always told Percy he was to straightforward and never thought about anything before saying it. Which is exactly what he did now.   
‘Nico what does “te amo” mean?’  
The younger demigod froze and his face turned red too fast for it to seem healthy as Percy continued to stare inquiringly into Nico’s dark eyes. His mouth opened and closed a few times as he visibly struggled until Percy’s face slowly turned more and more concerned and worried. He tilted his head as he repeated the question. While he was worried, that reaction interested him even more. He impulsively grabbed Nico’s shoulder when the younger looked like he was contemplating the merits of shadow traveling away from this situation. Unfortunately that only served to make him blush even brighter.   
‘W-why do you want to know THAT?!’ the horrified demigod managed to stutter out.   
Percy decided that telling the truth would be too embarrassing and so for once in his life he stayed quiet and tried to appear patient as he simply waited for a response. Finally the son of Hades took a deep breath and seemed to brace himself for revealing something he would have otherwise take to the grave.   
‘’It means “I love you”’, he grumbled out. His eyes were averted and hidden underneath his shaggy fringe so he thankfully didn’t notice the expression on Percy’s face that was going redder as he tried to hold in a squeal.   
The longer he stayed silent the more confused Nico felt. Percy flailed slightly and then put on a very serious expression. Well as serious as he could with a goofy smile fighting to stay on his face.   
‘Did you know you talk in your sleep?’ he asked and that was the last straw as the smaller teen turned white then red then white again.  
Nico tore himself away from Percy and bolted. Unfortunately for him, Percy was bigger and his arms were longer so he just managed to snag the back of the other’s black shirt before he could melt away and pulled him forcefully into his embrace. But he knew Nico would wiggle away as fast as he could, so he just managed to press a soft kiss to those messy curls before the son of Hades left out a quiet squeak and went still. Success.  
‘I love you too you grumpy ball of darkness,’ he murmured with a sappy grin and could swear he felt the heat from Nico’s pale face from where it was pressed into his neck. He pulled away just enough so he could smile down at Nico whose eyes looked watery and unwillingly hopeful. His lips quivered and Percy fought the urge to kiss him. It was much too soon for that.   
‘Really?’ he whispered.  
Percy smiled reassuringly before leaning down slowly and pressing a feather light kiss onto the pale cheek. He pulled back so he could see what cute expression Nico was wearing now. But what he had failed to notice was that his arms had loosened their hold enough that the Ghost King who had never dealt with intense emotion too well, was finally able to pull away and bolt with flushed cheeks that he tried to hide behind his hands in vain.   
Just before he vanished however, he looked back one last time, just long enough for Percy to give him a cheesy grin and teasingly shout ‘call me’ after him, before the embarrassment became too much and he vanished.   
Percy was left alone and finally let out the squeal he had been holding in for the last few minutes before he pulled himself together and rushed to make himself look good. He had a demigod to catch.

**Author's Note:**

> Bonus  
> This is the part written by a dear friend of mine who helped me edit and was convinced that this sounded much better. 
> 
>  
> 
> 'It means “I love your potatoes,” He grumbled, the hint of arousal in his face.  
> Percy looked out the window dramatically, gazing at his potato patch. “Those?” He was confused.   
> “No,” The man mumbled, looking down, Percy followed his gaze and his face went redder. “Oh. those.”   
> “Yes, those.” 
> 
>  
> 
> Percy struck a pose.   
> Leaned down and touched his toes.   
> Ain’t nobody knows.   
> The feel of these potatoes. 
> 
>  
> 
> Nico watch him move about,   
> Struggled not to shout.   
> His passion grew like a sprout.   
> As he stood there with a pout. 
> 
>  
> 
> Slowly they moved together,   
> This garden would survive any weather.   
> Their love was like a tether.   
> Though as light as a feather. 
> 
>  
> 
> Greedily they grabbed another’s purse.   
> Through muttered teeth came out a curse.   
> Though the sounds to some would be adverse,   
> This moment, together they nurse.'


End file.
